Transfer-wagon.



No. 840,422. PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.

N. G. BASSETT.

TRANSFER WAGON.

APPLICATION rum) MAY 2. 1902.

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No. 840,422. PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.

N. o. BASSBTT. TRANSFER WAGON.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2 1902 6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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- No. 840,422 PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.

' N. G. BASSETT.

TRANSFER WAGON.

APPLICATION mum my 2,1902. v

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Inventor: I Nor'manQBasseCC, I b

Witnesses:

No. 8.40,422.- PATBNTED JAN. 1, 1907.

N. G. BASSETT.

' TRANSFER WAGON.

APPLICATION FILED IA! 2, 1802. v

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NORMAN O.-'BASSETT, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TRANSFER-WAGON- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

Application filed May 2,1902. Serial No. 105,690.

To alt whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN C. BASSETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transfer-Wagons, of which the following is a specification. 7

Modern systems of transportation involve some complicated problems in the matter of redistributing freight at central points, so that all goods coming in on different lines and bound for the same destination shall be quickly and surely loaded in the-same car or train and at the least expenditure of time and labor. Where each road has its own terminal station and all freight coming into each and billed throu h on other roads must be carted away and (felivered at the several freight-houses of the other roads, a vast amount of time is consumed and a costly handling and rehandling of the goods are necessary. It is for this reason that in one or more large railroad .centers immense freightterminals have been constructed, to which are run all trains of all roads and where the through-freight is sorted and reloaded in the proper cars. The goods are moved by hand on the ordinary two-wheeled trucks. It has been proposed to substitute powerdriven Wagons for the hand-trucks, thus enabling one man to move more goods at one time and more rapidly than is now possible and with a decided saving in the time and labor involved. In carrying out such a system the wagons must be movable in any direction lengthwise or transversely of the freight-house. As the floor is some thirty or forty feet wide between the receiving-platforms and is one or two thousand feet ong'it is evident that when the wagons are electrically driven the ordinary overhead-trolley conductors cannot be used. To permit a free movement of the wagons, it is therefore pro osed in such cases to use a metal ceiling an( a metal floor, forming the terminals of the power-circuit, the overheadtrolley wheels on the wagons having flat peripheries, so that they can move easily. in any direction along the ceiling. It is desirable that the wagon be capable of turning quickly and in a short space, of moving sidewis'e out from a platform to avoid disturbing other wagons in front ofor behind it, and to run obliquely across the floor with its body par- -rately or together.

allel with the platforms when the transfer is to points nearly opposite the point of departure.

My invention relates to a wagon of the class described capable of accomplishing these movements.

To this end it consists of a body or platform mounted on four swiveled truck-wheels, each wheel driven by its own motor. The wa on is also provided with steering devices and brakes. When electric motors are used, they are preferably connected in series and all controlled by a controller at one'end of the Wagon. Current is taken from the metal ceiling by a multiple trolley having, preferably, three wheels. The front truck-wheels are connected with one steering-wheel and the rear truck-wheels with another steeringwheel, both wheels being close together, so that they can be easily operated either sepa- The steering and controlling devices and the trolley-pole are mounted at the front end of the Wagon, leaving the greater part of the body-platform clear for receiving goods. If all four truckwheels stand lengthwise of the body, the wagon will run lengthwise. If the Wheels are all turned transversely, the wagon will move laterally, either at right angles with its lon itudinal axis or obliquely thereto, ac-

-cor ing to the angle .through which the wheels are turned. "If the front wheels are turned one way and the rear wheels the other, the wagon will turn in a circle and evenin its own length, if necessary. If the front wheels onl are turned, leaving the others in line wit the body, the wagon will steer like an ordinary wagon or automobile. The same eflect will be produced if the rear wheels only are turned when the wagon is running backward. p

' In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse section of a freight-terminal equipped with m improved transfer-wagons equipped with e ectric motors. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the wagon on 'a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof. partly in section. Fig. 4 is a top plan view with the platform or body-floor removed. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of one of the trucks on the line 5 5, Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the truck on the line 6 6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the truck. Fig. 8 is a view of the multiple trolpacity of ten tons.

vided of one ton, five tons, and twenty tons ley. Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of the steering-gear and its indicator. Fig. is a top' plan view of the same with the top of the casing removed. Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the casing. j The freight-house isa long narrow structure having a steam-railroad track 1' along each side just outside the walls Along the inside of the building oneachside runs a latform 2 on a level with the car-floors. Vhen electrically-driven wagons are used, the space between the platforms has an iron floor 3 and a cop er or other metal ceiling 4. The terminals 0' the power-circuit are connected, respectively, with said floor and ceiling. The electric transfen-wagons have body floors or platforms on a level with the station-platforms 2 and are equipped with electric motors, which receive current from the ceiling through trolleys. The wagon illustrated has a carrying ca- Other wagons are pro"- capacity, but not differing essentially in construction from the one shown. y The body floor or platform 5 of the wagon is flat and is carried ona fra'me'6 of suitable construction, stiffened by truss-rods 7 and posts 8. The body is preferably more than twice as long as it is wide, and near each corner isa single-wheeled swiveling truck. The truck-wheel 9 is secured on an axle 10, rovided 011 each side of the wheel with ournals 11, which are received in axleoxes 12 on the truck-frame 13 and have the usual brasses 14 and thrust-plates 14. The

frame 13. has a circular top concentric with the vertical diameter of the wheel 9 and provided with a cylindrical u right flange 15, fitting around a circular flange 16, depending from a ring-bearing 17, secured to transverse bolster-blocks 18011 the under side of the wagon-frame 6. In the adjacent faces of the two flanges are registering grooves, in which are a plurality of steel balls 19, which serve to unite'the truck-frame and ring-bearing and enable the former to swivel easily on the latter.

Secured to the truck-wheel is a gear 20, with which meshes a pinion 21 on the shaft of the motor 22, which is supported by an arm or lug 23 on the truck-frame. To prevent dirt or any other foreign. substance from'falling into the teeth of the gear 20, a guard -fiange 24 is secured to the truckframe, covering the upper portion. of the gear. When electric motors are used, all four motors are connected in series and with a controller 25, placed on the overhanging front end of the wagon-body. This con.- troller is of the usual railway type and need not be described in detail. The leads for the motors are bunched in cables 26, which are led along the under side of the wagon-body and are carried to each motor in a loop 27,

- airs of trucks.

.keep thetrolley yieldingly pressed against the ceiling.

The steering devices are as follows: Around Q the outside of the flange on the truckframe are grooves 32. A chain 33 has its ends secured in one of these grooves in the two forward trucks, and a chain 34 similarly connectsthe two rear trucks. Achain 35 has its ends secured in the other groove in the forward trucks and asses around a sprocket 36 on a vertical sha t 37 at the front of the wagon, near the controller. A chain 38 is similarlv secured to the rear trucks and passes around'a sprocket 39 on a second vertical shaft 40, slightly in the rear of the shaft 37.

-On the upper ends of the shafts are wormgears 41 42. A worm 43 on a horizontal shaft 44 meshes with the rear worm-gear 41.

A second worm 45 on a sleeve 46, concentric with the shaft 44, meshes with the worm-gear 42. The front 'end of the sleeve carries a hand-wheel '47, and the shaft 44 projects be 0nd it and carries a hand-wheel 48. It wi 1 be seen that from the way the chains are attached to the trucks one of these worms must be right-handed and the other left handed in order that the hand-wheels may both rotate in the same direction to effect a similar given angular movement of both Means are provided for ocking the shaft44. and the sleeve46together, such as a spring-dog 49 on the wheel '48, adapted to enter a socket 50in the handwheel 47. By turning the hand-wheel 47 theItwo front trucks are turned, and similarly the two rear trucks are turned by the hand-wheel 48. When the wheels are locked together, all four trucks will be'turnedsimul taneously and at the same angle. The

.trucks are so arranged that they can be turned to any angle u to ninety degrees either way from a straig t forward position. As the circular flanges15 are concentric with the. vertical diameters of the truck-wheels, the latter will simply swivel on this diameter when the steerin -wheels 47 48 are operated.

In order that t e motorman may know the exact angular position -of each pair of truckwheels, an indicator is connected with each worm-gear. This may be simply a needle carried on an extension of the sprocket-shaft; but I prefer to arrange two needles on one axis, one being marked on a circular disk 51 and the other on an annulus 52, concentric its and each hub is suitably connected, prefer ably by toothed wheels 55, with its respective sprocket-shaft in such manner that both needles swing in the same direction when the two pairs of trucks are turned in the same direction. It is preferred to have both needles po nt straight ahead when the wheels stand in the straight forward position and to indicate the same angular positions assumed by the trucks when the hand-wheels are operated. This is readily accomplished by properly proportioning the gears 55, which connect the hubs 53 54 with the sprocket-shafts.

The brakes are each com osed of a shoe 56, resting on top of the true -wheel and vertically movable in guides 57, forming part of the truck-frame. Attached to the middle of the shoe by a ball-and-socket joint and in line with the vertical diameter of the truckwheel is a hanger 58, hinged at its upper end to a brake-lever 59, which is fulcrumed at on the stationary ring-bearing of the truck. The annular form of said bearing gives space for the brake-shoe and its guides to turn with the wheel and o enable the hanger 58 to ass up to the brake-lever. brake-lever is connected by a link 61 with a rock-arm 62 on a rock-shaft 63, j ournaled in bearings 64, secured to the under side of the wagonframe 6. Another rockarm 65 is connected by a brake-rod 66 with one arm of a bell-crank lever 67 under the wagon-floor near the controller. From the other arm of said bell-crank lever a presser-rod 68 rises to a pedal 69, which is hinged at each end to the two rods 68.

The motorman stands atoneside of the controller, facin the opposite side of the wagon, so that y turning his head to one side or the other he can look forward or backward along the line of movement of the Wagon. He is preferably elevated on a i latform 70. A fence 71 protects him an the controller and steering-gear from being interfered with by goods when they are loaded on the wagon. With his right hand he mani ulates the steering-wheels and with his liaft hand the controller, while his left foot rests on the brakeedal. By ressing down on on one end of t e edal the rakes on the for ward wheels will e operated, while those on the rear wheels can. be set by pressing down on. the other end of the pedal. An even pressure on both rods sets all the brakes. The motorman thus hascomplete control of the machine and can run it in any direction at will, either forward, backward, transversely, obliquely, or in a curved path.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A transfer-wagon, comprising a body, four swiveled power-driven single-wheeled trucks, and means for simultaneously impar The long arm 0 the ing to said trucks similar angular movement in the same direction with respect to the axis of the wagon through any angle u to ninety degrees either way from a straiglit forward position.

2. A transfer-wagon, comprising a body,

two pairs of'independentlyswiveled power-- driven single-wheeled trucks, two steeringwheels, and chains connecting said steering- Wheels with the respective pairs of trucks.

3. A transfer-wagon, comprising a body, two pairs of inde endently-swiveled powerdriven singlew eeled trucks, a steeringchain connected to-each pair of trucks, a sprocket for each chain, and worm-gearing for rotating each sprocket.

4. A transfer-wagon, comprising a body, two pairs. of independently-swiveled powerdriven siinglewheeled trucks, a steeringchain connected to each pair of .trucks, a sprocket for each chain, worm-gearing for rotating each sprocket, and. indicators on said worm-gears to' show the relative positions of the pairs of trucks.

5. A transfer-wagon, comprising a body,

two pairs of independently-swiveled powerdriven single wheeled trucks, a steeringchain connected to each pair of trucks, a sprocket for each chain, worm-gearing for rotating each sprocket, a hand-wheel for 0 erating each worm-gear, and means for loc ing said wheels together.

6. A'transfer-wagon, comprising a body, two pairs of independently-swiveled powerdriven single-wheeled trucks, a chain connectin each pair of trucks, a second chain for eaci pair of trucks, a sprocket for each of said second chains, and worm-gearing for operating said s rockets.

7 A trans er-wagon, comprising a body, four independently swiveled electricallydriven trucks, a controller and trolley at one end of'said wagon, and means for turning said trucks.

8. A transfer-wagon, comprising a body, two pairs of independently-swiveled electric ally-driven trucks, a controller'and trolley at one end of said wagon, and means for independently turning each pair of trucks.

9. A transfer-wagon, comprising a body, two pairs of independently swiveled electrically-driven trucks, a controller and trolley at one end of said wagon, a steering-wheel for each pair of trucks, said wheels being located near the controller, and means for locking said wheels to ether when desired.

10. A trans er-wagon, comprising a body, two pairs of independently-swiveled owerdriven trucks, asteering-chain attae ed .to each pair of trucks, an upright shaft for operating each chain, a worm-gear on each shaft, a shaft carrying a worm engaging with one of said gears, a sleeve on said sa t carrying a worm engaging with the other gear, hand wheels on the worm-shaft and sleeve, and

means for causing said shaft and sleeve to rotate to ether when desired.

11. n a transfer-wagon, a plurality of independently swiveled single wheel trucks, each provided with an electric motor secured to the truck-frame, a gear secured to each truck-wheel and meshing with a pinion on the motor-shaft, flexible leads conveying current to each motor, and means forturning the trucks through at least one hundred and eighty degrees.

12. A vehicle provided with two pairs of wheels, means for independently turning each pair of wheels about substantially vertical axes, and means for independently braking each pair of wheels.

13. A transfer-wagon comprising a body and two pairs of" Wheels therefor, means for independently rotating each pair of wheels about vertical axes, means for independently rotating each pair of Wheels about horizontal axes, and means for independently braking each pair of Wheels.

14. A transfer-wagon com rising a body, a plurality of pairs of whee s therefor, and means for ropellin braking and turning each pair 0 wheels a out vertical axes indepe'ndently of the other wheels.

15. A transfer-wagon comprising a body, four swiveled power-driven single-wheeled trucks, a steerim device, arc-shaped members on said truclis, and chains operated by said steering device and passing over said areshaped members.

16. A transfer-wagon comprising a body, four independentlyswiveled electricallydriven trucks, a controller and trolley at one end of said wagon, and means for turnin said trucks also located at said end of said Wa on.

n Witness whereof I nave hereunto set my hand this 27th day of March, 1902.

,NORMAN O. BASSETI.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD. 

